Recommendation for Cheon Dae-yeop, Seoul High Court Judge, as New Supreme Court Justice

Cheon Dae-yeop, Senior Presiding Judge of the Seoul High Court

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] Cheon Daeyeop, Senior Presiding Judge of the Seoul High Court, has been nominated as the successor candidate for Justice Park Sang-ok, who will retire in May.

On the 1st, the Supreme Court announced that Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo recommended the appointment of Senior Presiding Judge Cheon to President Moon Jae-in from among three new Supreme Court justice candidates recommended by the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee. If President Moon accepts Chief Justice Kim's appointment recommendation, the candidate Cheon will undergo a confirmation hearing and other National Assembly approval procedures.

Judge Cheon graduated from Seoul National University’s College of Law and began his judicial career in 1995 at the Eastern Branch of the Seoul District Court. He then served as a Supreme Court judicial research judge, presiding judge at the Seoul Central District Court, standing member of the Sentencing Commission, and from this year, as Senior Presiding Judge of the Seoul High Court. He is especially recognized as a judge well-versed in criminal law due to his extensive experience in criminal panels.

The Supreme Court described Judge Cheon as having "the fundamental qualities required of a Supreme Court justice, including a firm belief in judicial independence, protection of citizens' fundamental rights, and safeguarding socially vulnerable groups." It also stated, "He possesses profound legal knowledge, outstanding sense of balance, and rational and fair judgment abilities, earning respect and trust both inside and outside the judiciary through his rulings and judgments based on strict sentencing and unparalleled expertise in criminal law."

Previously, the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee recommended three candidates for the new Supreme Court justice position: Judge Cheon, Attorney Bong Wook, and Presiding Judge Son Bong-gi of the Daegu District Court. Subsequently, Chief Justice Kim gathered opinions from inside and outside the judiciary regarding suitable candidates for the Supreme Court justice position and selected the final candidate considering the committee’s recommendations.

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